Why is it that America still has, and does it as one of rather few countries in world, death penalty. How a country with so many religious people can find that correspond with the basic message in the Bible is impossible to understand for me.
2007-10-27 06:41:06 · 19 answers · asked by Mr Innocent 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm really split on this one. The bible is full of quotes for both sides...like the most popular ones, "an eye for an eye" and "turn the other cheek". Afterall, the main lesson that Jesus had was love, reconciliation, and forgivness. But, on the other hand, the bible is also full of stories about people killing each other for all sorts of reasons - even fathers killing their own sons for a variety of wrong-doing.
Interestingly, the most basic principle upon which America was formed was religious freedom, which includes separation of church and state. That means that all religions are free to worship as they please without interference from the government. But, the flip-side of that is that the government is supposed to keep itself free of religious persuasion. For that reason alone, I can hardly understand why Bush - the leader of the largest multi-ethnic, multi-religion country in the world - ends every speech with "May God Bless America". I mean, it's a nice touch, but to be fair he should go through the whole list...May God / Allah / Buddah / Confucius / Brother Wind / Hare Krishna / etc. Bless America!
There are several states that do not allow the death penalty.
Interestingly, it's the states with a democratic majority that forbid it, but the religous conservative states endorse it.
Personally, I sway between thinking that anyone who rapes then kills a 10 year old girl (or similar vicious acts) should first have his b**ls cut off without anesthesia and THEN be put to death - preferable a slow and painful one. However, I also worry about the possibility of putting to death an innocent person who was wrongly convicted by human error.
I guess if I was pressed to make a choice, then I'd say that it's better to get rid of grizzly murderers who don't even show the slightest sign of remorse.
2007-10-27 08:11:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is because you already have a wall built of preconceived notions as to how the christian community is suppose to acted when dealing with murderers. The rights of the murderer do not override the rights of the victim. This is where we part company. How can anyone place greater value on the criminal over the victim? Does society have a twisted interpretation about forgiveness? Is it that cut and dry to say, let us spare the criminals life. he will have to live with his quilt. Do people seriously believe that a criminal who has just beaten the system by not getting the death sentence, going to suffer from quilt?
When you are a father looking for your missing daughter, waiting and then 6 months later the police come knocking on your door and tell you, we found her. She was found bounded and gagged, her arms and legs ducted taped and thrown into the river, is the father suppose to turn around and say, spare this criminal. The scumbag criminal deserves death and absolutely nothing less than that. You tell me you find solice in the death of your child and that its OK with you for the murderer to sit in prison eating 3 square meals a day. Free medical payed with your tax dollars. laughing because he got away with it.
For the christian, the matter if death sentence is up to the state. Its not a religious issue, not unless you want to make it an issue. And the USA is not a christian nation.
2007-10-27 07:01:14 · answer #2 · answered by Tinman12 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you read the Bible, are you one of those that have more compassion for the murderer or rapist than the victim. Jesus was not against the death penalty, he taught from the Old Testament and did not change the laws, read Matthew 5:17-18. God said sent them to me and people will see this and it will cease. I'm 100% for the death penalty because we don't need murders and rapist
2007-10-27 06:54:07 · answer #3 · answered by M-S 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am a Christian, but I don't support the death penalty. For me it's a mater of conscience.
As you can see from the answers above, Scripture does support it.
Our Lord Jesus Christ submitted himself to the death penalty on our behalf, but never spoke against the penalty he received either before or after his Resurrection. The only time he did was with regard to the stoning of the adulteress. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
God created government to make laws. Christ commanded us to follow those laws "render unto Cesar that which is Cesar's".
We must make up our own mind.
Mark
2007-10-27 08:28:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
As we learn about the growing number of wrongfully convicted people sentenced to death, Americans are starting to think again about this issue. We are realizing that you don't have to condone brutal crimes or want the criminals who commit them to avoid a harsh punishment to ask whether the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime and whether it risks killing innocent people.
It's a start.
2007-10-27 16:30:39 · answer #5 · answered by Susan S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe in Genesis chapt 9 God command's the death penalty for ANYONE that murder's ANYONE! God's command,so get over it,God does not need your approval or disapproval to carry out His commands! God's commands are RIGHT and your's are WRONG! God further in the Bible also command's the death of ALL WITCHES and others who practice certain sin's.Tough if you dont agree,God doesnt need you to agree with Him!
2007-10-27 07:12:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm a christian yet i don't help the dying penalty basically by using fact i think there are too many harmless people in penitentiary. another christians (who're entitled to their ideals) have confidence that in spite of the undeniable fact that it says in the bible thou shalt not kill, it additionally says a look ahead to a watch so on and so on. It additionally says in the bible you may desire to save on with the regulations of your government, and the government's regulations have been meant to be based on God's concepts.
2016-09-27 23:53:10 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like it or not, the death penalty is probably more in line with biblical teaching than not. Besides, there is a wide gap between government and theology which is understood in biblical teaching.
2007-10-27 06:45:08 · answer #8 · answered by wigginsray 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
i don't know. i don't even understand how a person can call him or herself civilized and support the death penalty, let alone christian. to me, it's like saying ''killing people is wrong, so don't kill anyone, or else we'll kill you.'' it doesn't make much sense. by enforcing the death penalty, we are perpetrating violence.
2007-10-27 06:57:08 · answer #9 · answered by That Guy Drew 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Here in the US< a sizeable number of Christians have given themselves permission to pick-and-choose which parts they want to use/follow.
We are a convenience-oriented society, and this applies to Christianity as well nowadays.
2007-10-27 06:44:44 · answer #10 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋